Pressure-regulating device



(No Model.) 2 Shee-Sheet l.

H. H. WESTINGHOUSE & T. W. WELSH. PRESSURE REGULATING DEVICE.

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Nd Model.) v 2 sheets-sheet 2.

H. H. WESTINGHOUSE & T. W. WELSH. PRESSURE REGULATING DEVIGB.

No. 561,949. 1 Patented June 9, 1896.

WITNESSES.' l INVENTORS,

UNITED STATES PATENT ,Erica HENRY HERMAN WESTINGI-IOUSE, OF EDGEW'OOD, AND THOMAS IY. WTELSII, OE IVILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE XVESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF IVILMERDING, PENNSYLVANIA.

PRESSURE-REGULATING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,949, dated J une 9, 1896.

Application filed April 19,1893. Serial No. 470,963. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: The casing of the regulating device, as BeitlinownthatWe,HENRYHER1\iANWEsT shown in the drawings, is made in two parts INGHUsE,residingatEdgeWood,and THOMAS or sections 43 and all, which are joined tc- IV. WELSH, residing at Wrilmerding, in the gether by means of a screw-thread connec- 5 county of Allegheny, State of Pennsylvania, tion. The section 43 is shown connected to 55 citizens of the United States, have invented the casing of the engineers valve by means or discovered aV certain new and useful Imof bolts 55 in such a position that the champrovement in Pressure-Regulating Devices, bereO of the section 43 is always in open comof which improvement the followin gis aspecimunication with the passage in the casio iication. ing of the engineers valve. 6o

The object of our invention is to provide a When the main valve 5 is in running posinew and improved regulating device for au- 4 tion, fluid under pressure from the main restomatic Huid-pressure brake apparatus; and ervoir is admitted through the passage 17 to to this end it consists of a device by means the space above the main valve 5 and flows of which the admission of fluid under presthrough the passage 3l in the main valve and 65 sure from the main reservoir to the train-pipe through the passages 33 and 33 in the casing is regulated according to the pressure in the into the chamber Ll-O of the regulating device. train-pipe. The chamber l0 is connected by means of a Although ourinvention is specially adapted passage 53 With a chamber Lil, which is at all 2c for employment with a fluid-pressure brake times in open communication with the train- 7o apparatus, it is equally applicable in other pipe through the passages 35 and 30. situations as a pressure-regulator or reduc- The chamber 4l is provided with a bushing ing-valve, and embodies features of construc- 4S, and between this bushing and a ring 5S tion which are not limited in their applicais clamped a flexible diaphragm 59. A stem e 5 tion to any particular form of pressure-regu- 4G, surrounded by a spring 4:5 and inclosed 7 5 later. by the section 4:4 of the casing, is provided In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis with a disk or broad iiange Gl near one end a vertical section on the line m a of Fig. 2 and an extension 57, extending beyond the through an engineers brake valve and disk and passing through a piston 4t2, which 3o through our improved regulating device as fits in the bushing 1S and is provided with a 8O applied thereto; and Fig. 2, a horizontal secfriction-ring 49. A diaphragm GO is iitted in tion on the line y y of Fig. 41, showing the place against the back of the diaphragm 59, pressure-regulator and part of the engineers and the two diaphragme 59 and GO are clamped valve in plan view. between the disk 61 and the piston 42, the 3 5 Our improvement is shown in the drawings piston and tivo diaphragms being held in place S5 in combination with an engineer-s brakeagainst the disk Gl by means of the nut 62, valve,which forms part of the present Westwhich is screwed on the extension 57. inghouse quick-action automatic brake sys- The friction-ring 49 is a split ring which tem; but its application is not limited to anyr permits the passage of fluid under pressure 4o particular form of engineers brake-valve. from one side of the piston to the other, so 9o The port 39, which is formed in the seat of that the pressure on the diaphragm 59 isalthe main valve 5 and which opens to the at- Ways the same as the pressure in the chammosphere, the port 32, Which is connected in ber 4l. service applications with the groove 38 and The spring i5 bears at one end against the With the port 89, the equalizing-port 36,Which disk 61 and at the other end against the 95 is connected with the port 30 when the main screw-plug i7, by means of which its tension valve is in running position, and the cavity is adjusted. f 2S in the seat of the main valve are substan- The passage 53 is controlled bya feed-valve tially the same as in the Well-known Vest- 34:, which has a guidestem 50, extending up y 5o inghouse engineers brake-valve. into the screw-plug 52. A spring 5l bears at `rco one end against the screw-plug 52 and at the other end against the valve 34 and tends to hold the valve to its seat. A stem 64 extends from the valve 34 into or through the passage 53 and is of such a length that When the piston 42 and diaphragm 59 are moved toward the valve 34 by the spring 45 the extension 57 may come in contact with the stem 64 and unseat the valve 34. The movement of the piston and diaphragm in the opposite direction is great enough to move the extension 57 entirely out of contact With the stem 64 and to permit the valve 34 to be seated by the pressure of the spring 51 and the fluid-pressure in the chamber 40.

As the chamber 41 is always in open communication With the train-pipe the pressure in the chamber 41 acts in opposition to the pressure of the spring 45 and tends Vto move the piston and diaphragms and extension 57 so as to permit the seating of the valve 34 and the closing of communication between the main reservoir and the train-pipe. The tension of the spring 45 is so adjusted and the effective area of the diaphragm is so proportioned that the pressure in the chamber 41 moves the diaphragm and piston so as to Withdraw the extension 57 from contact with the stem 64 and permit the valve 34 to be seated When the train-pipe pressure is equal to or greater than the normal pressure which it is desirable to maintain in the train-pipe. When the train-pipe pressure is above the normal, the valve 34 Will always be seated and the diaphragm and piston may be moved far enough to cause the disk 61 to be seated on the shoulder 65, Which is formed by the end of the section 44 of the casingand which limits the movement of the disk, diaphragms, and piston in one direction. The movement in the opposite direction is limited by the stops G6, formed on the nut 62, which come in contact With the casing 43 When the piston and diaphragms are at the other extremity of their strokes.

lVhen the train-pipe pressure'falls below the normal amount, the pressure of the spring 45 overcomes the pressure acting against it on the diaphragm 59 and moves the extension 57 into contact With the stem 64 of the feed-valve 34, unseats the feed-valve, and permits fluid under pressure to iioW from the main reservoir into the chamber 41 and through the passages 35 and 30 into the trainpipe. This flow continues until the trainpi'pe pressure becomes high enough to move the piston and diaphragms against the pressure of the spring 45 far enough to permit the seating of the feed-valve 34.

The chamber 67 of the section 44 of the casing is in open communication With the outer atmosphere, and in case there should be any leakage from the chamber 41 into the space 67 the fluid so escaping will pass out through the opening formed for the stem 46 in the screw-plug 47 and throiigh the opening G8 in the screW-capf47. In order to permit of the free escape of any iiuid which may leak by the diaphragm when the disk 61 is in contact With the shoulder 65, a groove 63 is formed on the shoulder 65 and is provided With openings 69, which lead into the chamber 67.

As the chamber 41 is normally filled With iiuid under a high pressure and the chamber 67 is in open communication with the atmosphere it is difficult to prevent leakage from the chamber 41 into the chamber 67 when any usual form of piston is employed by itself, and for that reason We employ a diaphragm 59, of rubber or otherfiexible material, which may be so secured in place as to prevent leakage.- When a diaphragm alone isused and the pressure in the chamber 41 and the pressure of the spring 45 lnearly balance one another, very slight variations of pressure in the train-pipe and in the chamber 41 Will cause rapid vibrations of the diaphragm and of the valve 34, by which the valve would continually be seated and unseated. This not only causes rapid Wear of the valve, but also of the diaphragm, and in order to prevent this over-sensitiveness We employ a friction device in connection with the diaphragm, by means of which a more regular and gradual movement of the diaphragm is obtained When the pressures on opposite sides of the diaphragm are nearly in equilibrium.

It is important that the diaphragm should not be exposed in such a manner as to permit the accumulation of grease or dirt thereon, Which would affect its operation or tend to destroy it. By combining the piston 42 with the diaphragm 59 We provide means for protecting the diaphragm from grease and dirt, and by means of the friction device 49 We secure the desired regular movement of the diaphragm and prevent the irregular fi uttering movement Which would otherwise take place.

So far as the provision of a friction device in connection with a diaphragm is concerned our invention is not limited to the employment of a piston or a friction-ring, as it is obvious that other means may be employed to accomplish the same result. The application of a friction device is not limited to a diaphragm which is exposed on one side only to fluid-pressure, and a friction device may be employed on one or both sides of the diaphragm.

The diaphragm GO, Which is secured against the back of the diaphragm 59, serves as a cushion between the ring 5S and the diaphragm 59 and also serves to prevent sharp bends in the diaphragm 59.

We claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, With a movable diaphragm adapted to be operated by fluid-pressure, of means for effecting frictional resistance, for the purpose of regulating the movements of the diaphragm, which is independent IOO IIO

of or additional to the usual incidental or unavoidable resistance of the part or parts which may be operated by the movement of the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, With a movable diaphragm adapted to be operated by iiuid-pressure, of a piston connected thereto and tting in a chamber, and a friction device on the piston which bears against the Wall of the chamber and regulates the movement of the diaphragm independently of the usual incidental or unavoidable resistance of the part or parts which may be operated by the movement of the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination, with a casing having a chamber therein, of a movable diaphragm in the chamber, a piston connected to the diaphragm and provided with a friction device which is adapted to create a frictional resistance to the movement of the diaphragm independent of the usual incidental or unavoidable resistance of the other part or parts which are operated by the movement of the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

-L The combination, with a movable diaphragm, of a valve adapted to be operated thereby, a piston connected to the diaphragm which is independent of the valve and which is provided with means for creating a frictional resistance to the movement of the diaphragm which is independent of or additional to the resistance of the valve, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with a movable diaphragm adapted to be operated by fluid-pressure, of a piston connected'thereto and fitting in a chamber, and a friction device on the piston which bears against the Wall of the chamber and regulates the movement of the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

G. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination with a casin g having a chamber therein, of a movable diaphragm in the chamber,

a piston connected to the diaphragm and provided With a friction device, and a valve operated by the movement of the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

7. In an automatic duid-pressure brake apparatus, the combination with a feed-valve controlling communication between the main reservoir and the train-pipe, of a diaphragm by the movement of which the feed-valve is opened when the train-pipe pressure falls below the normal amount, a piston fitting in a chamber and connected to the diaphragm, a friction-ring secured tojthe piston, for regulating the movement of the diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

8. In an automatic huid-pressure brake apparatus, the combination, With an engineers valve of a feed-valve, a passage in the engineers valve for the traverse of fluid from the main reservoir to the feed-val ve, a diaphragm exposed to train-pipe pressure and operative on a reduction of train-pipe pressure to open the feed-valve, and a friction device connected to the diaphragm for regulating its movement, substantially as set forth.

9. In a fluid-pressure regulator, the combination of a movable diaphragm exposed on one side to duid-pressure and on the other side to the pressure of a spring, and a friction device connected to the diaphragm for regulating its movement, substantially as set forth.

IO. In a fluid-pressure mechanism, the com bination of a diaphragm secured at its outer edge, a second diaphragm secured thereto but free at its outer edge, and a friction device connected to the diaphragms, substantially as set forth.

In ltestimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands.

HENRY HER-)IAN WESTIXGHOUSE. THOMAS W. WELSH. `Witn esses L. E. Lovn, Unas. P. LivINesroN. 

